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Rigger's mate SYDNEY GILBERT BALL
Last address in Lewis: Baldock
Son of Gilbert and Edith Fanny Ball, of Eastbourne, Sussex; husband of Annie Grace Ball, of Baldock, Hertfordshire.
Service unit: Royal Navy HMS Barsound
Service number: R/JX.206003
Date of death: 1 December 1941 at the age of 32
Interred: Sandwick Cemetery, Sec. 17. Grave 2978.

HELEN MARY BALLARD
Last address in Lewis: Unknown
Service unit: Civilian
Date of death: 31 March 1941 at the age of 44
Died in Lewis Hospital as a result of injuries sustained at sea 2 days before
Interred: Sandwick Cemetery

1 comment:

Helen Mary Ballard neé Longden was born 5 April 1896 in Derbyshire, daughter of Arthur Frederic & Helen Mary Longdon, of Callow Hall, Ashbourne, Derbyshire. She married William George Alexander Coldwell at Littleover, Derbyshire on 6 November 1917. Coldwell was a career soldier attaining the rank of Lt-Col. & was a recipient of the DSO & OBE for military service. It would appear that like many other military marriages at that time the strains of separation & military duty resulted in divorce & in 1939 both Helen & William remarried.

Helen's new husband was also a military man, Major, later to become Brigadier, James Archibald William Ballard DSO CBE. That Helen died in hospital on 31st March having been injured on the 29th tells us that she was not far distant from the Isle of Lewis when the ship on which she was travelling was attacked. What is not clear is whether that ship was inbound or outbound. To date I have been unable to determine on which ship she received her injuries.